An Club

sallywin

Okay throwing this out there! Anyone up for meeting up some evening next week in the conradh's club to speak some Irish?
http://anclub.snasta.ie/
I don't ordinarily send out invitations like this online but thought a few people might be interested. Deal would be one pint, and some activity, cards or something? :P

Feel free to throw out any ideas!

An gal gréine

I hope to have a few scoops there tonight around 11 but dont know when I'll get in again.

rockswell

I have been studying Gaeilge for the last year after not having looked at it since secondary school. I really want to go on and become fluent in the language. I'd be up for attending any conversation meet ups/groups taking place in the city any evening.

sallywin

Go raibh maith agaibh beirt.

Sorry gal but I wasn't around at the weekend. Thinking to just pop in a couple of the evenings this week. rockswell, great you are interested, if there are more interested then maybe we can get the conversation group going, if not I'm going ahead anyway and anyone that wants to pop in as well obviously welcome to also.

Focalbhach

It's a good idea, sallywin. I probably wouldn't be able to show up for the next few weeks but I'd definitely be interested in popping in for some comhrá (and a pint) when it suits better.

From my point of view as someone with reasonable (but non-fluent) and very rusty Irish, I think it would be nice if people were happy to consider it as a 'bilingual' session, rather than necessarily an every-word-must-be-Irish event. By that I mean that I'd imagine people would begin in Irish and continue in Irish where possible, but that the point of the conversation would be continuing conversation and communication, and so it wouldn't be a problem for anyone to switch to English or ask for a translation where it was necessary. I've had bilingual conversations before where all parties (of differing standards) flipped frequently between the two languages, and found that it worked really well and everyone was relaxed about it. What do others think?

sallywin

Hey thanks focalbhach, yeah the bilingual approach is a great idea rather than being too strict about it. Ended up meeting up with someone from here in the end and while it was really tough to get used to speaking Irish in the first place it got easier as the time went on and you get used to it.

There is a group who meet up on Mondays in the club to read Irish mostly so if anyone is interested in that the guy there said it's always open to new people to join.

Michilinrua

Hello
I go into an Club every week to talk as Gaeilge with a friend and it's usually on Tuesday. But I am up for meeting any night.

Just on the Irish/English thing, have a look at the fluentin3months site where he talks about Irish (same applies to any language). The more you concentrate (i.e. talk) on Irish the quicker you will learn. When you get stuck use another word as Gaeilge or use the English word but let others correct you (cén Gaeilge atá air .. ?). Also carrying a small note book to jot down phrases or words and their meaning is a good idea.

Slán
Mícheál

sallywin

The other thing we noticed was that it definitely helps to practice with someone who is more or less at same level as you are. Again with so few people around actively learning Irish it's tough to get that opportunity.

I'm also up for meet ups for practive, I've had a bit of practice recently which I badly needed as my Irish was so rusty.

rockswell

I'm doing the intensive Irish classes there now. They're excellent.

sallywin

rockswell wrote: »

I'm doing the intensive Irish classes there now. They're excellent.

Good on ya Rockswell! I've been immersing myself non-stop since that first night we met up and we were completely rusty, have to say it was great to take the cobwebs off, 4 weeks later or so it's much much easier! No more nerves about it